This Week's Big Question:

Last week we asked about your voting plans and here are the results of our poll.

1. I Voted By Mail Already - 82%
2. I'm Voting Early In Person - 8%
3. I'm Voting In Person On Election Day - 5%
4. I'm Not Voting - 5%

Friday, November 11th is Veterans Day, a time for us to acknowledge and honor the men and women who have served in our Armed Forces.

The 104th consecutively held Veterans Day Parade in downtown San José will take place starting at 11:00 am along E. Santa Clara St. between Arena Green and Market St. The parade will conclude on Market St. next to Cesar Chavez Park.

Get more information here

Aussie Bub's Great Big Family Play Day presented by Osmo is back in the Bay for ONE Day-only on Sunday, November 13 hosted at Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose!

SoCal's most popular family event, Great Big Family Play Day, is returning to the Bay Area for one day on Sunday, November 13 with an all-day takeover at Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose.

Enjoy live music, bubble shows, princess meet & greets, face painting, arts + crafts, gear, samples and giveaways, plus full access to the Museum floors.

Tickets are available exclusively through the Great Big Family Play Day event website. Use code "SURPRISE" for a limited time special ticket offer.

The City of San José is conducting a disparity study to better understand how minority-, women-, disabled veteran-, and LGBTQ+- owned businesses participate in its contracting policies and practices. Learn more about the disparity study and share your experiences doing business or attempting to do business with the City or prime vendors contracted by the City. Private sessions are available. Interpretation services will be available in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese.

Register online: bit.ly/BusinessMeetingSJ

Ride Out The Drought!

Santa Clara County is in a severe drought, and we all need to do our part. One thing you can do is learn more about the county's water systems and how they work to bring us this precious resource. Join us for Ride Out the Drought (#ROtD), a free, month-long program that combines the joys and benefits of riding bikes with learning about the water system. Register HERE to get access to the routes (geared toward different levels of riders), as well as a chance to win prizes! Oct. 15-Nov. 12, 2022

It's simple! Choose a route from the list of rides provided in the Ride with GPS Ride Out the Drought challenge and follow them when it's convenient for you. Ride with GPS includes directions and information about the points of interest we've called out to help you learn about the water system.

Ride to win! Record your ride in Ride with GPS and post to social media to get more chances to win in the weekly raffle. Those who ride the most miles can earn special grand prizes.

Register to receive updates about Ride Out the Drought and instructions on how to use Ride with GPS. 

E-Waste Recycling

Safely Dispose of old, unwanted electronics, devices and appliances.

Saturday, Nov. 12

8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

2750 Cisco Way

next to building 15. 

Acceptable Items for Drop Off Include:

• TVs
• computers
• monitors
• printers
• radios
• various data and power cables
• video game consoles 
• phones
• tablets

No loose batteries.

2nd Annual Holiday Pajama Drive!

Help us keep kids warm by donating for our Second Annual District 4 Pajama Giveaway!

We are once again partnering with local schools to deliver warm pajamas to kids for the holidays. We had an incredible response to our request for donations during our pajama drive last year and are once again asking for your donations.

Pajamas are important to kids because they give them a way to display their admiration for superheroes and cartoons, keep them cozy and warm, make them feel secure, and even lower risk of cold or flu. Donating a pair of pajamas will make a world of difference for a child in your neighborhood during the frigid winter months.

We request new with tags or new in package pajamas in any kids’ size 5-18, or adult sizes small or medium for older kids. They can be footy pajamas, two-piece pajamas, flannel, plaid, plain, with popular characters, for boys or girls or gender neutral.

Please bring or have pajamas shipped to the Berryessa Union School District office, c/o District 4 Pajama Program, 1376 Piedmont Road, San Jose, CA 95132. E-commerce sites such as amazon.com, target.com and Costco.com make it simple to purchase and have pajamas delivered directly, but you can personally drop off if you prefer. Feel free to attach a holiday greeting note to your gift for the recipient.

You may also contact the Council District 4 office at 408-535-4904 if you need guidance with your donation or if you want to make a cash or gift card donation to the District 4 Pajama Program instead.

We appreciate the kindness our constituents display toward their neighbors and hope you will join us in making this giveaway another terrific success!

• SJ EFFICIENT BUSINESS PROGRAM
• ASSISTANCE WITH HOME REPAIRS

SAN JOSÉ ENERGY EFFICIENT BUSINESS PROGRAM

Local businesses have a new opportunity to reinvigorate their business, save money, and support community-wide energy conservation efforts through a new program from San José Clean Energy, the local clean electricity provider operated by the City of San José.

The San José Energy Efficient Business Program has unlocked several rebates to San José business owners for qualifying HVAC, refrigeration, or water heating projects. These rebates, totaling up to 80–90% off the project cost, will make renovations to your small business more affordable and kickstarting these upgrades so much easier! All business customers with an active San José Clean Energy account are invited to participate.

Want to see if your project qualifies for the rebates above? Learn more or find a participating contractor at SanJoseCleanEnergy.org/Business.

EMERGENCY HOUSING UPDATE

Habitat for Humanity East Bay/Silicon Valley has partnered with the City of San Jose to offer home repair grants to low income homeowners--mobile homes included. We make repairs that directly impact a homeowner’s health, safety and quality of life.

Repair assessments are made by Habitat staff after visiting the home with the homeowner to determine the scope of work. Projects range in size depending on the home and homeowner's needs.

Download a Request for Service form inDownload a Request for Service form in English – Español – Tagalog – 繁體中文 - 简体中文 – Tiếng Việt - Hindi.

Required Documentation

• Photo IDs and Proof of Legal Residency for all Applicants
• Copy of Certificate of Title
• Proof of occupancy (including space lease agreement if in a mobile home)
• Copy of Homeowner’s Insurance Policy
• Income documentation for all household members 18 years of age and older

You can visit the Habitat for Humanity website for more details on grant amounts, requirements and other information.

IS YOUR SAN JOSE HOME IN NEED OF REPAIRS?

As a result of your advocacy and the efforts of my staff, plans to utilize the Robert Gross Perculation Ponds/Noble Park have been canceled. As part of the process, the City of San José collected suggestions for alternative locations in District 4. In the spirit of full transparency, the City published the entire list of suggestions they received. An updated list was published at the end of September.

Our Emergency Housing Page has the latest information including a link to the updated site list.

COVID 19 UPDATE

Omicron specific booster shots are available for everyone who has had the two initial vaccinations. Reservations can be found at sccfreevax.org.

How to Protect Yourself and Others From COVID-19: With COVID-19 cases on the rise, it is important to follow CDC guidelines to prevent illness. Most importantly, stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines, wear a well-fitting mask, avoid poorly ventilated areas and crowds, and take precautions when you travel.

Free Masks Available: Each adult can get three free N95 masks at pharmacies and community health centers. For help finding a location, call 800-232-0233.

Resident Resources: The City of San José’s Virtual Local Assistance Center is a one-stop for information on Food Assistance, Housing, Employment, Health & Wellness, Utilities, and Immigrant Resources.

Current Vaccination/Booster Sites: The full list of vaccine sites, and testing sites are available on the County of Santa Clara COVID-19 website. Please note that vaccination sites are a combination of drop-in and by appointment only. Residents are encouraged to make an appointment, where possible. All sites have boosters available.